Pride is a time for celebration. And there is much to celebrate. It is also a time for looking back and ahead. Throughout June we will be sharing about what we have achieved as a university community as well as a call to action on what more can be done.
We acknowledge the courage and strength in all of our experiences and are raising flags across the university with pride.
“Rarely in our lives do we find many who can walk in our shoes but always there are those who will walk beside us. Know that, even if the people important to you are not doing it now, there are so very many others who walk along. Keep them close and take their hand; all those who will never stop walking with you during Pride and always.”
The LGBT+ Staff Community
Inclusivity at Greenwich
Equality, diversity and inclusivity are important to us at the university, and we are committed to a programme of action to overcome barriers to representation and inclusion through our university strategy. We are a proud member of the Stonewall Diversity Champions Programme and recognise the importance of the LGBT+ Staff Community, Women’s Staff Network, allies and the wider community in promoting LGBT+ equality and acting as agents of change at the university.
We recognise that there is more to be done to achieve cultural change for inclusion across the university community and ensure that the university is itself a vehicle for positive social change.
The work of our LGBT+ Community
Through the work and advocacy of the LGBT+ Staff Community, the university has been promoting and raising awareness of the LGBT+ university community and the issues LGBT+ people face, and working to drive cultural change for inclusion across the whole organisation.
The refreshed LGBT+ Staff Community group has been playing an active role across university activities and is helping to guide the university’s preparations for the Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, as well as:
- Promoting understanding of the LGBT+ university community through awareness-raising and sharing stories and raising the visibility of LGBT+ groups.
- Influencing policy development to represent the LGBT+ university community, including mental health and wellbeing, preventing harassment and inclusive language guidance.
- Co-creating education and support on LGBT+ equality, including recruitment and staff progression, diversity and inclusion training, supporting the university’s work on allyship and upstanding; compassion-focused pedagogy and embedding wellbeing in the curriculum; and coaching and mentoring.
- Initiating qualitative research to develop insights from the lived experiences of the LGBT+ university community and LGBT+ allies (including intersectional identities).
- Fostering social networking and a sense of community among the LGBT+ university community and allies to help address feelings of isolation during the pandemic.
GSU supporting the LGBT+ community
The GSU has supported the work of the university in raising awareness and has led a number of campaigns and events in support of the university LGBT+ community.
The Breaking Barriers series included LGBTQ+ voices, encouraging the community to see themselves as leaders, and the Pee without Prejudice campaign saw students mobilise to feed into a Government consultation on gendering toilets. GSU Officer Zoë Campbell and GSU Staff have also been contributing to the Stonewall Accreditation group.
The GSU launched the LGBTQ+ Network through the new LGBT+ Liberation Organisers who have already hosted a meet and greet event, promoted a petition to get non-binary recognised and taken part in an Intersectional Meet-up.
You can also view GSU's LGBTQ+ Greenwich Portraits, a series spotlighting LGBTQ+ staff and students, who they are and what their experience of being LGBTQ+ at Greenwich and in the wider world, has been like.
You can find out more about how the GSU are celebrating Pride month here.
Connect with our Communities
LGBT+ Staff Community
A community of staff and allies supporting the development of LGBT+-related equality and diversity support and representation within the university. If you identify with, or as an ally of, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and wider non-heteronormative identities, you are welcome to join the Community.
Membership is open to all permanent and temporary staff working at the university, including outsourced staff.
Contact lgbt@gre.ac.uk for more information and follow @UoG_LGBT on Twitter for event updates.
Women’s Staff Network
The network represents Academic and Professional Services staff and welcomes trans women and non-binary people.
You can contact the network and join their events through the Women's Staff Network webpage.
LGBTQ+ Student Network
Enabling members of the LGBT+ student community to come together to share information, provide support and discuss concerns and problems.
Email Bradie McDaid, Greenwich Students’ Union (GSU) Liberation Organiser for LGBT+ students, or follow Instagram @liberationgsu or keep an eye out for more information about the network on the GSU website for information on how to get involved.
LGBTQ+ Student Society
Supporting students regardless of how they identify. The society supports and develops the LGBTQ+ student community at the university and provides a safer, more welcoming, and ultimately happier space for LGBTQ+ people.
Join the Facebook group for more information.
